Portable ironing machine



' lillr nh MM Sept. 12, 1939. A. H. GERHARiDT 2,172,841

PORTABLE IRONING MACHINE 1- 4 4 INVENTOR. B? flndrewHGerhardZ.

ATTORNEY.

Sefit. 12, 1939. A. H. GERHARDT 2,172,341

PORTABLE IRpfiING MACHINE Filed Dec. 16, 1936 s Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENT OR.

: ATTORNEY.

Sept. 12, 1939. A. H. GERHARDT 2,

PORTABLE IRONING MACHINE Filed Dec. 16, 1936 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 ENTOR G rdt Patented Sept. 12, 1939 UNITED STATES 2,172,841 PORTABLE'IIRONING MACHINE Andrew H. Gerhardt, Chicago, Ill.,'assignor to Electric Household Utilities Corporation, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application December 16, 1936,- S'erial No. 116,074

2 Claims.

ing position upon any suitable flat surface such as a table top, cabinet top, etc.

In some dwellings as well as in most apartments the storage space or facilities for various housel hold devices and necessities are extremely lim-' ited, which necessitates storing laundering apparatus such'as washers and ironing machines in the basement. In some instances it' is not entirely practical and desirable to use an, ironing machine in the basement, and often it is desirable to have such an ironing machine in the apartment or living quarters of the dwelling. However, due to the size and construction of most domestic type ironing machines as heretofore produced, it has not in most instances, been practical to use such ironing machines in small apartments or dwellings. Portable type ironers for removably mounting upon table tops or the like have been devised to suit such conditions. However, such types of devices as heretofore constructed are relatively heavy in weight, making it a laborious task, particularly for a woman, to move the ironing device from a place of storage and place same on the top of a table or other support, and also in returning such unit to storage.-

Such devices have also been open to the serious objection of requiring an appreciable amount of storage space which in many instances is highly objectionable, particularly in small apartments, due to the extremely limited amount of storage space usually available in such apartments.

One of the objects of the present invention resides in the provision of a novel and improved portable type ironer machine of the character indicated, which is of relatively light weight, compact in construction and capable of being easily handled.

Another object resides in the "provision of an improved ironer machine of the character above indicated which is constructed so as to permit disposing the ironer mechanism in upright position, when not in use, so as to require a minimum amount of storage space.

A further object is to provide a novel supporting structure for a portable type ironing machine of the character indicated, wherein such supporting structure also serves as a handle to provide convenient handling of the entire ironer unit.

A still further object is to provide a novel and improved structure of the character indicated,

which is compact, simple in construction and capable of being economically manufactured.

And still another object is to provide novel means for rigidly securing the ironer unit in operating position upon a substantially flat sur- 5 face, such as a table top, or the like.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a front perspective view of the novel ironing machine embodying the present invention, shown disposed in operating position upon a table top.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing the iron- 5 ing machine disposed and supported in upright position. I i

Fig. 3 is an under side view of the entire ironing machine, with portions broken away to condense the view.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary rear elevational view of a portion of the supporting mechanism, taken as indicated at line 4-4 onFig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view taken at line 5-5 on Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view, taken at line 6-6 on Fig. 1, through one of the clamp members.

Fig. 7 is a transverse section through another clamp member and the base structure, taken as 30 indicated at line l.---! on Fig. 3.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary sectional view taken as indicated at line 8-8 on Fig. 3. t

Fig. 9 is a front. perspective view showing a modified form of clamp member which permits 35 disposing the ironer unit a substantial distance rearwardly from the front edge of the table top.

Fig. 10 is a view similar to Fig. 9 showing a further modified form of clamp member for adaptation to a table having a skirt substantially flush 40 with the edge of the top. r

Fig.- 11 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view, taken at line llil on Fig. 10, showing the ar' rangement of the other clamp member.

For purpose of illustration I have herein shown 45 the portable ironing machine embodying the present invention disposed in horizontal operating position upon the top Hlof a table indicated at I I. It will be apparent that the ironer constituting the invention may be used in connection 50 with any suitable fiat surface, such as the top of tables of various constructions, cabinets, and the like. The ironing'machi'ne comprises a relatively small, substantially rectangular metal base l5, having an extension or marginal portion indicated I said driving mechanism is a conventional form ing mechanism (not shown), enclosed within. a housing l6 secured to said base, said driving mechanism including an electrically driven motor l1 depending from the under side of the base l5. Totally supported and driven at one end from of ironer roll l8, which may be understood to be operatively connected to said driving mechanism. Associated with said roll is a shoe I9 having its inner surface shaped to correspond to the contour .of the surface of the roll, and extending substantially the entire length of the roll. The shoe may be heated either electrically or by gas and it may be understood that the shoe herein illustrated is electrically energized, having electrical conductor wires housed within the flexible sheath 20, and connected to the same source of electrical energy as the motor I! by means of common conductor wires, enclosed in the sheath, as indicated at 2|. Said shoe is supported adjacent its longitudinal center on the outer end of a longitudinally extending tubular supporting member 24, the opposite end of which is connected to the housing It in a conventional manner. It is to be understood that said support 24 houses an actuating element which controls the movement of the shoe to and from operative position with the surface of the roll ll.

The driving mechanism enclosed within the housing I may be understood to be of a conventional commercial form, and since it does not constitute a part of the present invention it is not believed essential to illustrate or describe such mechanism other than to point out that the control members designated at 26 and 21 respectively, control the operation of the shoe and roll. when the driving mechanism is actuated by the motor II, the electrical current energizes the shoe and the operation of the control member moves and retains the shoe in contact with the surface of the roll to perform a pressing operation, during which operation the roll ll remains stationary. The control member 21 when depressed simultaneously, causes rotation of the roll I. and the movement of the shoe I! to operative ironing position relative to said roll l8.

Subsequent actuation of said member 21 stops the rotation of the roll and simultaneously moves the shoe ll away from said roll as seen in Fig. 1. The control lever designated at 28 located approximately at the longitudinal center of the roll at the rear side thereof, is a safety device for positively moving the shoe I! out of contact with the surface of the roll It and is intended primarily for use as an emergency device.

To insure reducing the weight of the entire portable ironing unit to a minimum to render the task of moving the ironing machine to and from storage, the base member l5 which is of relatively small size, together with the housing ii, are preferably formed of light weight metal such as aluminum or other suitable alloys. The base I5 is designed as above indicated so that when the ironer is mounted in operating position, only the small extension l5! rests upon the marginal edge of the .table top ll,while the driving mechanism and housing protrude beyond the end ofsaid table top, ,thus affording maximum use of the table top. while permitting practical use of the ironer unit.

Disposed beyond the outer end of the driving mechanism is a supporting'structure including a vertically disposed inverted U-shaped frame 3| which serves as a supporting base for the ironer. in an upright position, and includes two transversely spaced leg portions 30 extending both above and below the normal plane of the base ii. The lower portions of said legs, 30', disposedbelow the base I 5, are bent to form a horizontal extension 30", which continues into reversely bent portions, 30", which extend into bosses l5", formed on the under side of the base I5, and are rigidly secured thereto by means of screws 32, as seen in Fig. 7. The top intermediate portion, forming the connection of the upper portions of said leg members, 30, serves as a convenient hand grasp'to facilitate picking up the ironer bodily as a unit for placing it in operative position upon the top of the table, or for returning it to a suitable place of storage.

AS will be seen in the drawings, the upright portions, 30', desirably are disposed in contact with-the outer edge of the base l5 so as to provide proper support for said frame structure 30, when the ironer unit is disposed in upright po-' sition as seen in Fig. 2 so that a part of the load of the entire ironer mechanism is assumed directly by. the members 30 by contact therewith by the base l5. As-will be apparent, the frame structure indicated generally at 30 desirably must be of such size and shape as to provide a substantial footing to properly support the ironer mechanism in balanced upright position;

The under side of the extension I5 of the base l5 desirably is provided with a pair of transversely spaced apart resilient pads 33, such as rubber, secured to the under surface of said base by means of screws 34 as seen in Fig. 7 so as to prevent injuring or in any way marring the surface of the table top by reason of the ironer being supported thereon.

To further insure adequate stability of the ironer mechanism, there is provided a supporting element 35 extending in longitudinal direction with respect to the ironer roll, having one end secured in bosses I 5, formed on the under side of the base I5, by means of a set screw 35. The outer end of said member 35 is bent in an upward direction and is secured by means of a set screw 31 in a collar 38, which in turn is rigidly secured to the exterior of the supporting mem ber N by means of a set screw 40. Said member .35 adjacent its up-turned end is provided with a resilient sleeve 4|, such as of rubber, to support the member 35 out of contact with the surface of the table top, and preventing marring or injuring the surface of the table top.

Preferably the ironer unit should be positioned adjacent the corner of two contiguous edges oi the table top or other flat surface, as seen in Fig. 1 of the drawings, and although the ironer machine, as disclosed is so constructed that it will maintain itself in proper balance and supportedrelation on the top of the table, it is desirable to firmly anchor the unit to the table top topreclude any possibility of damage to the ironer or injury to the person by reason of its being inadvertently struck or shifted out of its balanced position and causing it to fall to the floor. For this purpose I rigidly secure the ironer unit to the table top by clamping means including a relatively long horizontally extending clamp arm swivelly mountedon the adJacent up-turned portion act the frame ill, the outer end of the arm having an upstanding nose 05 adapted to engage the underside of the front marginal edge of the table top. Said arm is rigidly clamped in place by means of a thumb screw 46, extending-through the bifurcated end of the clamp member adjacent its mounting on leg portion 30, as seen in Fig. 6. Mounted on the rearward up-turned portion 30 of said frame 30, is a horizontally extending clamp bracket 4| rigidly secured inplace thereon by means of a set screw 49 and threaded in the outer end the marginal edges of the table top at two ad-.

jacent sides, at right angles to each other, and

thus firmly and rigidly secure the ironer mechanism in place thereon to reclude any accidental displacement of the ma ine.

In Fig. 9 of the drawings I have illustrated a modified form of clamp member for engaging the under side of the front marginal edge of the table top III. This clamp member indicated at i! is formed with two angularly disposed portions 55 and 55 to permit the clamp to extend around the upright or leg ll of the table while permitting the ironer unit to be disposed a substantial distance rearwardly from the front edge of the table. This is considered highly desirable as it provides an unobstructed flat surface in front of the ironer unit for convenience of the operator, substantially the same as providedon the general ironer units permanently mounted on a' frame or cabinet base. The clamp member 5! isuprovided with an upstanding nose 55 at the outer end of the portion 55, for engaging the under side of the top of the table. The clamp member otherwise is similar to clamp 45, and is secured to the front leg extension 30, by the thumb screw It is recognized that table or cabinet constructions are of great variety, however, it is believed that suitable clamping may be provided to adapt the ironer unit for the majority of table constructions. By the way of illustrating I have shown in Fig. 10, another type of table construction wherein the table top; 60, terminates at its edges substantially flush with the skirt 8| or the top and skirt may be formed as a single continuous piece. For such construction, the front clamp member indicated at 62, is of angular form, similar to that disclosed in Fig. 9, and has its outer end formed with a rearward extension, 82' adaptscribed, and to adapt it to such a table construction merely requires releasing the set'screw 4i and dropping the clamp member ll to proper height at which the foot I2 of the screw Il may conveniently engage the under edge of the end skirt of the table, as seen in Fig. 11 g This arrangement also permits disposing the entire ironer unita substantial distance rearwardly from the front edge of the table to afford suitable working space for the operator.

When the ironer mechanism is disposed in upright stored position, as seen in Fig. 2 and it is desired to use the same, it is rocked on the lower end portions of the members 30. so as to permitengagement of the intermediate portion 30* of the frame by the hand while the opposite hand engages the free end of the roll I8, and permits conveniently carrying the entire machine and placing it in operating position upon the top of the table. The opposite procedure is followed in.

returning the ironer mechanism to upright storage position. The corner formed by the leg portions 30 and portions 30 of the frame 30 serves as convenient skids to permit skidding the ironer unit to and from storage position. Thus the labor of lifting and carrying the ironer unit from storage to a place of use, and in returning same is greatly reduced. This is considered particularly important in view of the fact that devices of this type are practically always used by women. Due to my novel construction, it will be apparent that the amount of storage space consumed by'the ironer unit is reduced to a minimum.

AlthoughI have herein shown and described a preferred embodiment of my invention, manifestly it is capable of modification and rearrangement of parts without departing from the spirit and scope thereof. I do not, therefore, wish to be understood as limiting this invention to the precise form herein disclosed, except as it may be so limited in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A support for and adapted to be securely 7 mediate the upright legs thereof constituting a handle to assist in handling the ironer unit.

2.'A support'for and adapted to be securely attached to a portable ironing machine of the type adapted to be removably mounted in substantially horizontal operating position upon a table top or the like, said support including a. I

base and upwardly extending means disposed beyond an end thereof and comprising a pair of jecting both above and below the normal plane of said base and having the lower portions there- ,of reversely bent and connected to the under side 0! said bile.

ANDREW H. GERHARD'I.

, transversely spaced-apart upright members pro- 

